Elevator system



J. DI GIOVANNI ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2, 1945 lama l VDR2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH D/G/OVANN/ ATT RNEY B ssu Sept. 18, 1945.-

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Sept. 18, 1945.

J. DI GIOVANNI ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2, 1945 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

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J. DI GIOVANNI ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2, 1945 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 CWT/N050 ON FIG. C

INVENTOR. JOSEPH 0/ 6/0 VANN/ 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 J. Dl GIOVANNI ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2, 1945 Z/ %(/LILIIVIT Sept. 18, 1945.

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Filed Feb. 2, 1945 ll Sheets-Sheet I INVENTOR. JOSEPH D/ G/Ol/A NN/ A TTORNEV P 1945. J. DI GIOVANNI 2,384,986

ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2, 1945 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 .1 1 u 8 JFLJqA /6 INVENTOR. JOSEPH D/ G/Ol/A NN/ ATTn Fv J. DI GIOVANNI ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed 1945 ll sheets' sh t 9 INVENTGR. JGSEPH 0/ G/Ol A NN/ p 18, 1945- J. DI GIOVANNI 2,384,986

ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2, 1945 11 Sheets-Sheet l0 JOSEPH DIG/Ol/AN/V/ ATTORNEY p 1945. J. Dl GIOVANNI 2,384,986

ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2, 1945 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH D/G/OVANN/ ATTORNEY Pater d S pt. 18, 1945 ELEVATOR SYSTEM Joseph Di Giovanni, Fairview, N. 1., alsignor to United Elevator Service, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application February 2, 1945, Serial No. 575,758

32 Claims.

The present invention relates to elevator systems and particularly to those systems in which the elevator car automatically responds to a call that is impressed either in the car itself or in the hallway.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a selector mechanism that is relatively simple in construction and is responsive to the actuation of but a single means that is located on the top of the car to control the motion of the car and its direction in addition to starting and stopping the operative movement of the car.

The present invention further contemplates the utilization of a light sensitive means as the said means for controlling the operation oi the selector and stopping the car in either direction.

The present invention further contemplates the provision of a selector mechanism that is not mechanically connected to the elevator car and which will be operated only once for each floor passed by the car irrespective of the distance traveled by the car between one floor and the next succeeding floor. This operation is accomplished by an arrangement of the parts in such manner that movement of the car from one floor will spontaneously close the selector mechanism circuit and succeeding movement of the car to the next succeeding floor will open the selector mechanism circuit, the opening and closing of the circuit responding preferably to an impulse from the light sensitive means on the top of the car and the circuit being so arranged that the selector mechanism is operated but once for each closing and opening of the circuit.

The present invention still further contemplates the provision of a system in which a single switch, preferably a photoelectric cell, is utilized to eilect positive movement of a selector mechanism in either direction andcause the elevator to commence movement in either direction and to stop its movement in either direction. The system thereby contemplated for such operation thus reduces to a minimum the number of switches that are required to perform all such operations.

The present invention still further contemplates the provision of a selector mechanism that utilizes in the registering and control circuits electronic valve means in place of heretofore used magnetic relays which were provided with a multiplicity of moving parts and contact points. In such a selector mechanism, should the electronic valve means be replaced by a magnetic relay, such relay would nevertheless be greatly simplified and have but a single moving part and one contact point but yet usable to register calls in either direction and cause the starting and stopping of the car in either direction.

My invention yet further contemplates the provision of a selector mechanism which. although not mechanically connected to the car, is nevertheless in synchronism with it and which is so constructed and arranged that the car will not make a false stop in the event that the car and selector mechanism, for any reason, become out of synchronism with each other. In such event all intermediate calls are automatically cancelled while the car or selector is automatically brought to a terminal floor, the selector or car having first reached its position at this terminal floor. Whether the car or the selector are in advance of each other, one will automatically follow the other to the terminal floor, all calls that may have been made before the terminal floor is reached being automatically cancelled so that at reaching the terminal floor, whether at the top or bottom of car movement, the selector and car must always be returned to synchronism with each other.

The present invention yet further contemplates the provision of a selector which determines the motion of the car in one direction upon registration of calls in that direction and by means or which the motion of the car in that direction is reversed spontaneously after all the calls in the first mentioned direction have been answered to cause the car to answer in proper succession all the calls that have been registered for the opposite direction.

The present invention yet further contemplates the provision of a relatively inexpensive, compact and comparatively small selector unit having but a single moving part, such as a rotatably moved cam and plurality of contacts, one for each floor, arranged in series and which selector collects all calls registered above and below the car position, which determines the direction of car travel and which causes the car to stop successively at those floors for which calls have been registered while passing th'ose floors for which no calls have been registered.

The present invention yet further contemplates the provision of an elevator system in which, should the selector and car, for any reason, become out of synchronism with each other, and either the car or selector brought to a terminal floor toward which the car is traveling and when they have both reached that terminal floor the car and shaftway doors will be automatically opened although a call has not been registered for that'terminal floor.

The present invention still further contemplates the provision of an elevator system in which electronic tubes are utilized to Open and close a circuit whereby the direction of movement of the elevator in the shaftway is controlled and in which other electronic tubes are used to open and close a circuit which starts and stops travel of the car and which electronic tubes combined with a switch, such as a light sensitive photoelectric cell, and the selector mechanism cause the elevator to travel in one direction until all calls on that direction have been answered, whereupon the direction of travel of the elevator is spontaneously reversed and all calls in the reverse direction answered.

The present invention still further contemplates the provision of an elevator system in which electronic means are directly electrically connected to the conventional push buttons in the hall and elevator whereby the car call registering and control circuits are operated. These, other and further objects, advantages and uses of the present invention will be clear from the following description and the awings, which are by way of illustration thereof, and in which drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic wiring diagram of the selector motor circuit.

Fig. 2 is a schematic wiring diagram of the call registering circuit and direction control circuit.

Fig. 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of the elevator'control circuit.

Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram oi a portion of the elevator circuit.

Fig. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram for a modification of the call registering and direction control circuit.

Fig. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of a portion of the control circuit used therewith.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a selector according to my invention.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 8A is a partial plan view of the selector finger actuating cam.

Fig. 9 is a rear view of my selector mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a partial side elevation illustrating the light sensitive means for the elements of my invention.

Fig. 11 is a partial plan view thereof.

Fig. 12 is a partial-front elevation of a modifled selector mechanism.

Fig. 13 is a section on the line |3|3 of Fig. 12.

In the drawings, for aclearer understanding of my invention I have used the following symbols to identify conventional elements used therewith and they are shown with all switch contacts in the position that they would assume when the car is at rest in the system.

A Selector motor armature AD Auxiliary d o w n direction switch coil ADI etc. Contacts on auxiliary down direction switch ADP Auxiliary down pilot switch coil ADPI etc. Contacts on auxiliary down pilot switch ASM Auxiliary stop magnet switch coll ASMI etc. Contacts on auxiliary stop magnet switch AUP Auxiliary up pilot switch coil AUPI etc, Contacts on auxiliary up pilot switch AU Auxiliary up direction switch coil 5 AUI etc. Contacts on auxiliary up direction switch BR Resistors in floor valve circuit CR Cancelling switch coil CRl etc. Contacts on cancelling relay C Terminal point D Terminal point I Series of contacts made by retiring cam D02 Series of contacts made by door 15 DLI etc. Down hatchway limit switch contacts DM Down motion switch coil DMI etc. Contacts on down motion switch E Terminal p int ES Manually operated emergency switch in car F Terminal point FRI etc. Floor switch coils FRCI etc. Contacts on floor switches FV I Floor valves FVR Resistors on floor valves G Terminal point GC Door closing switch coll GCi etc. Contacts on door closing switch GO Door opening switch coil GOI etc. Contacts on door opening switch GOLI etc Contacts on door opening limit switch GP Door pilot coil GPl etc. Contacts on door pilot switch Ll One side of line L2 Other side of line LR Line resistors w ML Main line switch coil MLI etc. Contacts on main line switch PB Push buttons in car or hall PERI etc. Contacts on switch for photo electric cell RI etc. Resistors RRD Down resetting switch coil RRDI etc. Contacts on down resetting switch RRU Up resetting switch coil RRUI etc, Contacts on up resetting switch Si and S2 Switches in selector motor circult actuated by selector cam SFD Selector lower terminal finger SFU Selector upper terminal contact SSE Selector starting switch coil SSRI etc. Contacts on selector starting switch SFI etc. Selector fingers SM Stop switch coil SMi Contacts on stop switch SSC Selector cam contacts SHR Selector holding switch coil SHRl Contact on selector holding switch TR Time switch coil TRI Contact on time switch ULl etc. Contacts on up hatchway limit switch UM Up motion switch coil 7 UMi etc. Contacts on up motion switch VDRI and VDR2 Resistances of a Voltage divider VI and V2 Electronic valves in direction determining circuit Referring now to the drawing the selector mechanism by which the floor calls are regiso,sss,ose

tered and held isilluatratedinl'ill- Itoflinclusive and is referred toin the art as aselector. The selector of my invention. as will become ap parent, is relatively simple in operation, an integral unit and is not mechanically connected to the elevator car, which is operated and controlled through it.

The entire mechanism of my selector is contained in a comparatively small housing II, which takes up a relatively small space and may be placed in any convenient part that is available in the building.

The selector mechanism is driven by a conventional fractional horsepower, direct current, preferably shunt wound motor II, which is mounted, in any conventional manner on the insulating panel I4, between which and the insulating panel I4 it is housed.

The panels I4 and I may be connected together as by means of the bolts II and 20 on which are mounted conventional spacers 22 and 24.

At the upper edge of the panels I4 and I0 I secure the upper panel 20 which carries the electronic valves 24 (W, VI and V2) the function of which I will describe in connectionwith my description of the call registering and elevator directional determining circuits.

Secured to the motor shaft 00 I provide the gear 32 which meshes with the gear 04 mounted on the idler countershaft 00, which latter shaft is fixedly secured to the panel I4 as by the nut 80 on shaft 00.

Secured to the inside face of the gear 34, as by riveting I provide the switch closing cam 40, the function of which I will describe in detail when I shall hereafter refer to the circuit for the selector motor.

The cam 40 closes the normally open switches 42 and 44, as I shall further describe, and which switches are mounted on the panel I4 as by screws 40. Extending up from the base 48 of the switch 42 I provide the arm 50 carrying the contact point 52 and the resilient arm 54 on which the contact 00 and bent cam follower 58 are mounted. Similarly extending up from the base 60 of the switch 44 I provide the arm 62 on which the contact 04 is mounted and the resilient arm 08 on which the contact 00 and cam follower are mounted.

The resilient arms 04 and 60 are tensioned so that the contact 02 is normally out of engagement with the contact 56 to normally open switch 42 and contact 88 away from contact 64 to normally open switch 44.

Rotation of the gear 34 will alternately bring the cam 40 into and out of engagement with the follower 58 to close and open the switch 42 and into and out of engagement with the follower 10 to close and open the switch 44 for the purposes which I shall further describe.

Secured to the gear 34 and rotatable therewith I provide the gear I2 which meshes with the floor selector cam driving gear I4. The gear 14 is keyed to the shaft It by means of the tapered pin I0 inserted in the gear collar 00 and through the shaft I6. The shaft I0 is mounted for rotation in the bearings 02 and 04 which are held on the panels I4 and I6 by the threaded washers l0 and 08.

Mounted on the other end of the shaft I0 and secured thereto as by the bolt 00 I provide the flanged collar 92 to the flange of which I mount the selector cam 04-, made from a conventional insulating material such as paper base fiber, Is by the screws 00.

Pivotly mounted on a pin II, I provide the selector contact fingers III which are bent to form at the upper parts thereof the cam followers I02. Rotation of the cam 00 on the shaft It brings the nose I44 into engagement with a cam follower I42 to move the corresponding selector finger on its pivot pin 00 away from engagement with the succeeding finger Ill.

The selector fingers Ill are tensioned by a spring means I00 so that each finger. unless pushed away therefrom by the nose I04, is normally held in contact with the base I00 of the selector finger positioned ahead of it around the periphery formed-by the plurality of fingers.

The nose I04 of the cam is provided with three selector cam contacts H0, H2 and H4, the centre contact H2 being insulated from contacts I I4 and H4, which latter are electrically connected (see Fig. 2). Contact I I0 is connected by means of lead wire III to binding post H0, which binding post is mounted on the panel II. In rear of the cam the contacts H0 and H4 are electrically connected by the lead wire H0. The centre contact H2 is electrically connected to the binding post I20 by the lead wire I22, for convenience the lead wires II! and I22 threaded through the enlarged opening I24 in the selector cam 04.

It should be noted the first cam contact is positioned on the nose I04 so that the follower I02 is first engaged before the next succeeding selector finger I25 is raised from the base I00 of the finger which follows, the cam rotating in a clockwise direction in order that, as will become apparent when the circuits are described the call registered for that floor is preserved.

The cam contact H0 is positioned on the nose I04 so that, when the cam rotates ln'a counterclockwise direction, contact i I0 will engage finger I2I before finger I00 is raised from the base I00 of finger I21. Finger I00 is raised prior to engagement of cam II2 by finger I21.

In operation the selector cam 04 oscillates between the first selector finger SFD, which is the down terminal selector finger (the purpose of which will become apparent) and the last selector finger SF'I, which corresponds to the upper or top fioor (a seven story building being used for illustration), the stops I26 and I20 limiting movement of the cam in the counterclockwise and the clockwise directions.

It should be noted that the last selector finger SFI normally bears against the contact I30 (which in the wiring diagram is referred to as SFU), and to which no selector finger is attached since this contact is in advance of the finger corresponding to the last fioor of the building which in the illustration is the top floor. The function of this contact I30 as well as that of terminal finger SFD will be further explained in connection with the description of the call registering circuit and the functioning of the selector mechanism therein.

It will of course be understood that various relays that are required in the operation of my elevator system may be mounted in convenient portions of the housing I0 as for example the relay I32 at the upper corner of the platform I6 which may be the auxiliary stop magnet relay, referred to in the wiring diagram as ASM.

Should it be desired to utilize, instead of electronic valves (referred to in the wiring diagram as FV) conventional relays, which as I shall describe are single contact magnetic switches and rei'erredtointhewiringdiagramasFRJmount (Figs. 12 and 13), on the panel ll a coil III the core III oi which projects in front of the panel. In this connection, by reason or the directional determining circuit, which I shall describe in detail, it is now possible to use a. coil switch which is of only the single pole single throw type, a construction which up to the present time has not been accomplished in collective elevator systems known to the art.

The base I" of the coil armature is secured to the panel I4 by any suitable means such as the screws I42. On the armature element I I mount one of the switch contacts I" and on the arm I the other switch contact Ill, the element I M and arm I" being sufllciently resilient to permit the opening and closing of the switch upon attraction of the armature and its release by the coil Ill. The arm I48 and element I are insulated from each other by any suitable material I92 and are each provided with a terminal I and I58.

One end of the coil IN is connected by the lead wire I58 to its corresponding selector finger and the other end by the lead wire I99 to the terminal I54 of the arm I49.

The terminal I is also connected by means of the lead wire I62 to one side of the line LI, through a push button PB.

The terminal I59 on the armature I is connected by means of the lead IN to the line LI, so that the coil circuit remains completed until that circuit is broken when the car is brought to the floor in response to the push button and the call made.

In order to make the operation of the relay quiet I secure to the panel I4 the cross arm I92 to which is secured a cushioning member, such as rubber (not shown), which absorbs any shock or noise that may be occasioned by the attraction of and resulting rapidity of movement of the armature I.

As I shall further describe, the circuit for the selector motor is closed when the car I99 (Figs. and 11), moves from one floor to the other and is opened when the car is brought to the next succeeding floor. I prefer to use a light sensitive device to accomplish this purpose, such as a photo-electric cell. The light sensitive assembly is carried by the plate I59 which is secured to the roof of the car as by the bolts and nuts I". The plate I98 is bifurcated so that the light intercepting vane H2 at each floor will pass therethrough to intercept the light beam from the source in the housing I14 on one arm, and shade it from the photo-electric cell in the housing IIi on the other arm.

A light intercepting vane m is positioned at each iloor and is secured by means of the bolt II! to the member I90 which is clamped to the car guide rail I92 by means of the bracket, the arms I84 and I99 of which are clamped to the base I" of the rail by means of the bolts and nuts I99 and I92.

In order to adjust the light intercepting vane I12 for the up and down motion of the elevator car, I secure the adjustable down" section I94 to the vane by means of the bolt I98, extending through the elongated slot 299 and the adjustable up" section 292 to the vane by means of the bolt204 extending through the elongated slot 206. It will be apparent that the position oi each section may be adjusted on the vane by moving it on the corresponding bolt along its corresponding elongated slot.

with the present invention, the light sensitive deviceissoarrangedinthesystemthatwtone such device is required to open and close the selector motor circuit and so that it will selectively operate in either direction, and initiate the car stop in either direction.

The selector motor circuit The wiring diagram tor the selector motor I2 operating circuit is illustrated in Pig. 1. 'Ihis motor circuit is closed and opened to iunction in the manner that I shall now describe by the switch means which is preferably a light sensitive device such as that illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11.

As stated the light sensitive device comprises a photo-electric cell, which is preierably oi the conductive type and a conventional incandescent lamp. The circuit diagram for the photo-electric cell is not illustrated in detail since it is within the skill of workers in the art, sumce it to say that it includes a relay (not shown), which is energized when light strikes the cell upon movement of the car away from the light intercepting vane I12 to close the switch contacts PERI (Fig. 1).

In a reversible motor of the type illustrated, its direction is determined by the direction oi the current through the motor ileld. When the elevator car moves up in the shalt, the current through the held of the selector motor I2 is from one side of the line through the contact on the auxiliary up direction switch AUI through the motor field to the other side or the line through the resistance VDRI of a conventional voltage divider and when the elevator moves down in the shaftway, is from the other side 0! the line, L2 through the contacts on the auxiliary down di rection switch ADI through the motor held to the first side of the line LI through VDR2 oi the voltage divider, which thereby determines the direction of rotation of the gear 29 and its annexed cam -III (Fig. 9), as well as of oscillation of cam 9 The armature oi the selector motor I2 is arranged in a circuit such that the motor I2 will move the cam ill but one complete revolution and the cam 94 from but one selector finger to the next selector finger for movement of the car from one floor to the next succeeding iloor in either direction irrespective of the distance between the floors (which may vary).

Upon closing the contact PERI by movement of the light sensitive device from the floor vane I12 (the car having started and moved as I shall describe) a circuit is then made through PERI, ter. minal point C, armature A, resistor R2 to other side 01' the line L2. It should be noted that resistor RI is in parallel with the armature A.

From terminal point C another circuit is made through the switch SI (corresponding to 42 Fig. 9) the contacts SSRI on the selector starting switch (controlled by the selector starting switch coil SSR), the motor armature and return to terminal point C, which constitutes a means for short circuiting the armature for the purposes to be pointed out.

When the contact PERI is closed, another circuit is made from the terminal D through the contact on the selector holding switch SHRI, which is closed since the selector holding switch coil SHR is de-energized (as will be pointed out), the selector starting switch coil 88R to the other side of the line L2.

Upon thus energizing the coil sea the normally closed switch contacts BSRI are opened to open the short circuit through the armature and permit it to rotate. As the motor I! rotates the cam ll is moved from engagement with the follower II to open the switch 42 (Fig. 9), Bl (Fig. i), and thereby also open the short circuit across the armature A. s

The motor continues to rotate until the cam 40 is brought into engagement with the i'ollower It to close the switch 4| (Fig. 9), S2 (Fig. 1).

From terminal D one side oi. the line Li is connected to the resistor RI, which is connected to switch 51- and the selector holding switch coil BHR.

The resistor R3 is a limiting resistance and insuflicient current passes through the coil SHR. to move the armature oi the switch and open the contacts thereof SHRI. When the switch S2 is closed by the cam II a circuit is completed from the terminal D, the switch S2, coil SHR to the other side of the line L2, thus bypassing the limiting resistance R3.

Thus energizing coil SHR breaks contact SHRI to open the circuit through coil SSR, which in turn closes contacts SSRI. Since switch SI (Fig. l), 42 (Fig. 9) has not been engaged by the cam 40 it remains open, the armature is not yet short circuited and so the motor I! continues to turn. As the cam 40 engages the follower 58 the switch I! (Fig. 9), SI (Fig. 1), is closed to short circuit the armature A and thereby abruptly stop rotation of the motor and lock it in position.

It should be remembered that the circuit through PERI remains closed until it is broken by the interposition of a vane I12 between the light source and the photo-electric cell at the next i'ioor. While the resistor R3 is a limiting resistance and will not permit sufllcient current to pass to energize coil SHR, once that coil has been energized, sufllcient current is passed to a) keep it energized thus maintaining open the normally closed contacts SHRI and maintaining coil 88R de-energized.

By the action Just described the armature A is prevented from further rotation until the next floor is passed, since the short circuit across the armature will be maintained as long as the photo-electric cell is energized, causing PERI to be closed. There is thus provided an electrical lock the instantaneous braking action of which immediately stops the motor and holds it in the position which it had reached when SI was closed by the cam 40.

When the car reaches a stopping zone a floor vane is interposed between the light source housing Ill and the photo-electric cell housing I18 (Figs. 10 and 11) to de-energize the photo-electric cell relay and thus open contact PERI, which breaks the armature circuit and de-energizes coil SHR thereby closing contact SHRI to again permit coil SSR to be energized and so condition the selector mechanism for the next repetitious action.

When the car leaves that floor it is moved away from the intercepting vane I12, positioned there, and the cycle just described is again repeated. It will be noted that the light sensitive means constitutes a switch for the selector motor circuit that is opened or closed by each vane positioned at a floor oi the building serviced by the elevator. It will be further noted that such switch is operated by the travel of the car in either direction and that the selector mechanism will move exactly from one element thereof, corelement thereof corresponding to the next succoeding floor in either direction irrespective of the distance between floors or the length of time the photo-electric cell is energized.

Resetting circuit I have provided a means for automatically resetting the selector with the car so that in the event, for any reason, the selector should become out 01' synchronism with the car the two are automaticlly brought into synchronism with each other.

For example the cam it may engage the finger SFI, which corresponds to the third floor oi the building in response to a call for that floor, whereas the car has in fact reached the fourth floor. This derangement ordinarily would continue tintil it was manually corrected but for my novel resetting system. By the arrangement that I shall now describe any such derangement will be automatically corrected when either the car or selector is brought to a terminal floor by a call registered therefor.

In prior installations, when the selector mechanism went out of synchronism with the car, that is the selector missed one or more impulses or received one or more additional impulses, it was possible for the car to reach a terminal floor and since the selector would not be positioned therefor the doors would fail to open. In any other case the car would be brought to the incorrect floor and either the passengers in the car would be irritated and, annoyed or the prospective passenger in the hall would never receive car service. This caused shutdown or the equipment until the selector and car were returned into synchronism.

With the system here contemplated I have provided selector resetting means which is independent of the light sensitive means and corresponds to .a terminal floor so that the first terminal stop reached by the car will be automatically registered. The selector will then be automatically brought to that terminal floor and thereupon the doors will be opened for that terminal floor, thus bringing the car and selector into synchronism. I also provide a cancelling relay which cancels all intervening calls that may have been registered between the terminal iioor and the position 02 the out o! synchronism selector. Ii such construction was not provided, the selector would stop at each registered call while it proceeded to the terminal stop at which the car was positioned, the doors opening and closing at the terminal stop for each registered call.

The same result will be obtained in the event that the selector first reaches a terminal stop whereby the car is automatically brought to that stop and the two thus synchronized, it being understood that all intervening calls are automatically cancelled.

I shall now describe the circuit by which this resetting of the selector with the car or the car with the selector is accomplished.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it being understood that reference should also be made to those other figures, such as Fig. 1 that show necessary electrical connections thereto required for an understanding, when the car reaches a terminal floor, for example the top or basement floor and the selector for any reason is not then in synchronism or vice-versa, the car will then have reached and closed a conventional terminal switch that responding to one floor, to the next succeeding 76 is positioned in the hatchway. These up and down limit switches are not shown in the drawings, it being necessary only to point out that the up limit switch controls the opening and closing of the contacts ULI and UL! and that the down limit switch controls the opening and closing 01' the contacts DLI and DL2 (Fig. 3).

Assuming that the car has been brought to the top floor and has actuated the up limit switch, this will open the normally closed contact ULI. In this connection the limit switches are so arranged that one contact UL2 is made before the other contact ULI is broken. The circuit through the up motion switch UM is thereby broken. In this connection it must be remembered that, as stated Fig. 3 and all wiring diagrams assume that the car is at position of rest and with no call registered but that to describe the operation of the resetting relay circuit, the car must be assumed to be traveling here in the up direction so that the car circuit has been completed from LI through PER! (one 01' the switch contacts for the photo-electric cell switch), contact UMI, on the up motion switch coil UM, the normally closed contact DM2 on the down motion switch DM, the normally closed contact on the up hatchway limit switch ULI, the series of door contacts made by the retiring cam, to the other side of the line L1.-

beclosedunlessthereisacallregisteredior that floor.

BinceABMisnotenergizedthecoilw (Pig. 4) will not be energized thus completing a circult through the coil RRU even tho h PER! has now been opened (Fig. 3). Thus the contacts CRI and CR2 will have sumcient time to opentocancelallcallsregisterediortheintermediate doors and the selector cam is will continue to operate until it is brought into engagement with 81"! when contact 6118 is broken to deenergize RRU.

The action now described takes place during the fraction of time that the car travels from its position at which it causes operation of the limit switch and the position slightly beyond which it assumes to interpose the vane I12 in the light sensitive means, so that PER! remains closed for this fraction of time to permit RRU to become energized after which PER! is opened.

By energizing RRU contact RRUI (Fig. 2), is closed thus registering a call for the seventh iioor by causing valve FVI to conduct and valve V2 to continue to conduct. Contacts RRUI and RRU2 are also closed. This energizes cancelling switch CR. (Fig. l) which causes contact CRI (Fig. 2) to be broken thereby cancelling all intermediate calls below the seventh i'loor.

Under normal operating conditions, the car and the selector being in synchronism, the directional limit switch is closed, which in point of time occurs before the photo-electric cell is deenergized to open contact PERI. Thus the normally open contact UL! is closed to energize coil RRU (Fig. 3). This closes contacts RRUI and RRUZ to energize the cancelling relay CR (Fig. 1). As is common in the art and well known, the switch (contacts CRI, Fig. 2 and contacts CR2, Fig. 4) operated by coil CR has a delayed action and is not opened for a short period of time after the photo-electric cell is deenergized by the interposition of the vane on the car.

When the selector cam N is positioned at finger SF'I, the auxiliary stop magnet coil ABM (Fig. 2) is energized, which closes contact ASMI (Fig. 4) to energize coil SM. This opens contact 8M3 (Fig. 3) which deenergizes coil RRU (Fig. 3) since PERI has already been opened. This action therefore on normal operation occurs before the contacts CRI and CR2 have opened under their delayed action.

When however the selector cam N is behind the car, that is the car is for example at the seventh floor and the cam at finger SF! corresponding to the fifth floor, the car will have first closed ULI to energize coil RRU by its action on the limit switch and then open ULI. This will energize the cancelling relay coil CR. As the selector cam 94 is at SFS the circuit ASM will not Should a call have been registered at the iiith iloor even though the car itself is at the seventh door, the doors will open and close since A81! is energized and when the doors again close the coil SM is deenergized to again close contact 8M! and again energize coil RRU.

At this point, it should be recalled, that by closing RRUI a call has been registered for the seventh iloor thus preserving the action of the auxiliary motion switch coil AU (Pig. 4) which maintains closed the contact AU (Fig. 3). Since the coil SM is deenergized contact SM! is closed to maintain the circuit through RRU. At this time even though SHRI is open by the action of SHR, a circuit through the coil 88R will be maintained through RRUI, RRU! and resistance R4. This opens SSRI and keeps the armsture A unlocked until the selector and car are brouht into synchronism at the seventh floor when opening and closing of the doors restore the system into normal operative condition.

Prior to opening contact PERI, contacts SHRI being opened by reason of the action of coil SHR, an independent circuit through coil 88R is provided through RRUI, RRUI (both having been closed by the action or the limit switch permits coil RRU to be energized) and the reso sistance R4. Contact SHRI is thus by passed to permit contact SSRI to be opened by the action of coil SSR to unlock the armature A and permit rotation of the selector mechanism and bring it into synchronism with the car.

Under ordinary conditlons of operation, (when PERI is closed) resistance R4 will not pass sumcient current through it to permit the cancelling coil CR to become energized. Thus when PERI is closed, coil 88R may be energized but coil CR may not be since Rl is a limiting resistance, but on the other hand, when RRUI and RRUI are closed both coil CR. and SSH are operated.

when PERI is broken by the stopping action of the car at the seventh door the armature A has nevertheless been unlocked to permit the motor I! to operate. Since PERI will not again be closed (the car being at a terminal floor) the selector motor continues to operate until cam 04 engages SP1 to break its contact with SP0 and break the circuit through valve VI.

It will be apparent that, as long as RRUI and RRUIareclosedSSRisenergiledtomaintain contact BSRI open to permit the motor II to rotate until RRU is deenergized. even though a circuit is made through RRUI, RI and SHR.

When the selector cam 94 reaches 8P1, as I shall describe in greater detail, coil ABM (Fig. 2), is energized to close contact ASMI (Fig. 4), and energize coil SM. This now opens contact SMS to de-energize coil RRU and so return the system to normal operative condition with the oar and selector now in synchronism.

It should be noted that opening contact ULI breaks the circuit through the up motion switch coil UM which interrupts the current to the eleaaaaeae vator motor and to the brake (which need not be shown for an understanding of my invention) and the car brought to a stop.

Since the doors have not yet opened the series of contacts DCI thereon remain closed.

It is suincient at this point to note that as the selector cam is brought to position to correspond to the terminal floor, the circuit through the auxiliary up pilot switch coil AUP and the electronic valve V2 has been completed (which shall be described in greater detail when I describe the direction determining circuits). Therefore the normally open contact AUP2 has been closed to complete a circuit through it, the auxiliary up direction switch coil AU and the contact ADI (Fig. 4).

At this point of time contact PER! has been broken by the stopping action of the car and normally closed contact SM! is made because coil SM has not yet been energized. Therefore even though PER2 is open the up resetting switch coil RRU remains energized, contacts UL! having been closed by operation of the up limit hatchway switch and contact AUl closed by the energizing as aforesaid of the auxiliary up direction switch AU.

Energizing coil RRU closes its contact RRUI (Fig. 1), which latter thereupon closes the selector motor circuit so that the selector mechanism is operated as previously described. Concurrently contact RRUZ is closed thereby completing an independent circuit through the resistor R4 for the selector starting switch coil SSR. Contact SHRI is thus bypassed to prevent coil 88R from becoming de-energized when contact BHRI is broken by the operation of the coil SHR. Thus, since the armature A will not become electrically locked, the selector motor I! will continue to rotate until the selector is brought to the top floor when, as will be described, the circuit through the coil RRU is opened. Therefore the selector and car have been automatically brought into synchronism at the upper limit iloor.

Energizing coil RRU also closes contact RRUI for the registering circuits illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. Referring to Fig. 2, contact RRUJ is arranged in the circuit for the terminal floor valve FV'I so that this valve is then conducting to thereby register the up terminal stop. When the selector is brought to its normal position at the up terminal stop whereupon the selector finger SF'I engages and makes contact with S802, selector cam contact, which. as I shall describe. breaks contact SM! and so de-energizes coil RRU bringing the car and selector back to normal operation.

Referring now to Fig. 5 the contact RRU3 is in the circuit for the floor relay FRI which is thus energized to register a call for that terminal floor whereupon, when the selector makes its normal stop thereat, normal operation will follow. It will be understood that while I have described the" operation eflected by the up resetting switch RRU for a condition in which the car and selector are traveling to the upper floor, the same functional operation is performed by the conventional down limit switch and a down resetting switch RRD, the circuit and contacts for which are arranged and operate in the same manner as described. I have illustrated the wiring diagrams for the RRU and RRD circuits and it will be unnecessary to describe the latter any further as this will now be clear to those skilled in the art.

In elevator installations of the automatic type, the car and selector even though they are in unchronism may for some reason proceed to a terminal floor although a call has not been resistered for that floor. As a safety feature there was provided in the shaftway a terminal limit switch, always arranged some distance beyond the terminal floor which stopped the car at that point. In prior art installations this operation caused great concern to any passengers in the car because there was no provision made for automatically opening the doors in such case.

The present system, on the other hand operates to automatically open the car doors, even though the car and selector are in synchronism and a terminal stop reached and no call registered. This operation must be accomplished because operation of either terminal switch will close contact UL! or DL! and so permit coil RRU or RRD to be energized. Energizing of these coils will operative-1y control corresponding RRUI etc. or RRDI etc. thereby putting into operation the resetting relay circuit just described. This closes contact RRUI or RRDI, which in eilect registers a call for the corresponding terminal floor :by making the respective valves therefor conductive, which opens and closes the doors in the normal manner irrespective of the reason for bringing the car to that terminal floor.

In the event that the selector and car are out of synchronism and it is the selector that reaches the terminal floor in advance of the car, the operation will be now described.

The up motion switch UM (Fig. 3), is provided with the contact UMI (Fig. 2) which is in the circuit for the terminal floor valve FVI. This circuit is an auxiliary circuit and the contact is positioned between the resistor FVRI and the selector upper terminal contact SFU.

When contact SSCZ on the selector cam engages the cam follower I02 of the selector arm SFl there is thus provided an auxiliary circuit through valve FV'I, contact UMI and contact SFU that is parallel to the circuit that is made through FVI, selector finger SF] and the selector cam contact 8802. The current path through this latter circuit formed by the finger SF1 and S802 is therefore not suihcient to energize the auxiliary stop magnet switch coil ASM to complete the car stopping circuit. Therefore the direction determining valve will continue to conduct, since the grid is biased through terminal G, and the car will continue to move in the up direction because the auxiliary up direction switch AU is being held and motion switch UM is still energized and contact UMI is still made.

Upon bringing the car into synchronism with the selector, the contact UM! is broken because the shaitway up limit switch is operated to open contact ULI. This de-energizes the up motion switch UM to stop the car, the circuit then being made through floor valve W1 and the auxiliary stop magnet ASM thereby bringing the car and selector into synchronism and opening the doors in the manner that I shall further explain.

It will also be recognized that upon thus bringing the car and selector into synchronism and automatically opening the doors, breaking the contact UMB also causes the directional determining valve V2 to cease conducting so that the car is free to proceed to answer any calls that had been made for the lower floors.

A similar series of operations will be performed in the modification of my system illustrated in Fig. 5 in which floor relays FR are substituted for the floor valves W. In that case contact UM! on the up motion switch is arranged between the relay corresponding to the upper fioor FRI and the terminal contact SFU, which latter is electrically connected from G to the direction determining valve V2. Since the operation is similar it is unnecessary to describe it in detail.

It will be further understood that the operation is similar should the car and selector be proceeding to the lower terminal floor, all corresponding coils and contacts shown in the circuits being designated with the letter D, for example DM being the down motion switch, RRD being the resetting relay for the down motion, ADP the auxiliary down motion pilot, etc., and Vi being the down direction determining valve. It is unnecessary to further describe in detail these circuits which now will be apparent to any person skilled in the art.

Call registering circuit The call registering circuit is made through the bank of floor valves FV which are preferably gaseous tetrode electronic tubes (Fig. 2), or through the relays FR. (Fig. 5), which as I shall explain have but one contact to register and collect calls in either direction.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 2 the grid of each floor valve FV is normally, that is when a call is not registered, maintained at a negative voltage in relation to the tube cathode. In describing this circuit the numeral of each reference character refers to the floor that corresponds to the element being referred to, for example I'Vl refers to the valve for the first floor, SFl refers to the selector finger corresponding to the first floor.

Referring to the floor valves, for example W! the grid is connected to the negative side of the line L2 through the grid resistor GRI and the line resistor LRI.

When a push button is pressed, either in the hall or the car, for example, PBl, the line Li is connected to the grid through the resistor BRI. This makes the grid positive in relation to th cathode and the valve then conducts so that current flows through the fioor valve and the resistor FVRI which is electrically connected to the base H18 of the selector finger SFI.

It is well known with valves of this type, the current will continue to flow once the valve has been triggered, even though the push button is released until the plate circuit is again opened and again permits the grid to be negatively biased to control the tube.

The circuit for the down direction, as will be explained, is completed through SFD, R6 and RIO; for the up direction through SFU, R1 and RIO.

The direction in which the elevator travels in response to a call is determined, as will be described, by the interlocking direction determining circuits which function in combination with the selector and which circuits include the direction determing valves, Vi and V2, preferably vacuum tetrode electronic tubes.

The grids of these valves Vi and V2 are also normally maintained at a negative potential but immediately become positive with relation to the cathode thereof when a circuit is completed through the selector and floor valve upon closing a push button, the particular valve Vi and V2 thus affected being determined, as will be described, by the position of the selector cam in asespae relation to the button pushed. It should be understood that, while a collective system is illustrated and described, the one shown may be modified by any skilled in the art to function for any other type of automatic system such as a selective collective or collective interceptive system. by the addition of another fioor valve or relay and selector contact for each intermediate floor. Adaptions to other types of elevator systems will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

For illustration, assume that the car is positioned at the fourth fioor whereat the centre contact 8802 (N2), of the cam 94 engages the follower Hl2 of the finger SF, which cam raises it from the base I" of the succeeding finger SF. Concurrently the follower "2 of the preceding finger SF! has been engaged by the cam N to raise SF! from the base III! of SFI. This isolates the contact 8802 (2), which as stated has lectrically secured to it a lead wire I22.

Assume that PBS is pushed, a circuit will be completed through F'Vi, FVRB, SF. (it being apparent that since SF4 is raised off SFS a circuit through the selector is broken for the opposite direction), SF1 and SFU, through the resistances R1 and RI! to L2. The grid of valve V2 connected to this line through G is thereby made positive to cause V2 to conduct and so complete a circuit through the auxiliary up pilot coil AUP.

It will of course be understood that calls for the fifth and seventh fioors may also be registered by making the floor valve FV for that fioor conductive and calls below the fourth floor registered in the same manner. The calls above the fourth fioor being isolated from the calls below that floor by the action of the cam 94 on the fingers Bl! and SP3.

Since coil AUP has been thus energized (first in point of time in the assumption) contact AUPI in the circuit of the screen grid of valve VI is opened so that that valve cannot conduct. Therefore any calls below the fourth floor will be held because the floor valves for that floor will continue to conduct until that valve circuit is broken by the car responding to the call, as will be described.

Conversely so long as valve V2'conducts, any call above the position of the car (fourth floor) must be registered to cause the car to respond thereto until these calls have been cancelled to make valve V2 non-conducting. When this happens AUP is deenergized, which closes contact AUPI and now permits valve VI to conduct thereby opening contact iADPI and thus determining the down direction of the car in response to calls registered at the lower fioor.

To sum up for an understanding of the selector control circuit and the starting and stopping action of the mechanism and the car, assume that the car and the selector are at the fourth fioor (wiring diagram Fig. 2) and a. call registers for the sixth floor. As stated PB! has been closed to cause 1W6 and V2 to conduct. A further assumption must be made, since my invention in illustration is being applied to an automatic elevator system, that the doors are normally closed at all times and therefore contacts DC2 are made as well as the contacts DCI closed by the retiring cam (Fig. 3) and the car door switch GS (Fig. 3) is also closed.

Energizing coil AUP (Fig. 2), closes the normally open contacts AUP2 to complete th circuit through the auxiliary up motion switch, contact on the auxiliary down switch ADI being at that time made (Fig. 4) to close contact AU (Fig, 3).

There is thus provided a circuit through contact 8M8. AUG, the up motion switch coil UK, the normally closed contacts DI! and ULI through the door contacts made by the retiring cam DCI to LI. Energizing the up motion coil UM closes the normally open contact UNI to completethe circuit through the coil ML of the main line switch, the contacts GB. DC! and 88, as stated being closed. This starts the car in the up direction to respond to the call registered at the sixth floor.

As the car leaves the fourth floor, the light sensitive means is brought away from the influence of the light intercepting vane ill (Figs. and ll) to close the contact PERI and PERI. Closing contact PERI, in the manner that I have heretofore describedmauses the cam ll (Hg. '1) to make one complete revolution and the cam 04 (Fig. 'l) to move away from the finger 8" into engagement with the finger 81'.

The car will not stop at the fifth floor by reason of the fact that the floor valve I 'VI for that floor is not in a state of conduction and so the car proceeds to the sixth floor because. as will be recognized the auxiliary stop magnet coil ABM is not energized.

When the cam l4 engages the linger 81", that finger is lifted from engagement with the finger S1! and isolates the selector cam l4 and so the coil ABM from the circuit through the floor valve WI. Therefore the car must proceed to the next floor because the coil ABM is not energized.

Upon arriving at the fifth floor the circuit opening means, which the photo-electric cell constitutes, is opened by interposing the vane I12 (Figs. 10 and 11), between the source of light and the cell, which action again opens contact PERI. As the car leaves the fifth floor contact PERI is again closed to cause cam 40 (Figs. 1 and 9), to

make one revolution and to bring cam ll (Figs. 2 and '7), into engagement with SF. At the fifth floor, contact PER! is likewise opened and closed but since the stop magnet switch coil is not energized, the circuit through the main line switch and that through the up motion switch UM is not broken because normally closed contact 8M3 re. mains closed so that the car continues in its travel to the sixth floor. Before the car has reached the sixth floor the cam 04 will have been moved into position in engagement with 81". I shall now describe the action of the cam 04 in approaching and reaching this position.

In the sequence of operation, contact BBC! (Ill) engages the follower I" but does not raise SF from its base pivot ilil. Valve PVC and any floor valve above it that is conducting maintains a current through lead wire I ll, Rl to L1. this latter circuit in eifect being a bypassing circuit. Further motion of the cam ll raises linger B1"! and so isolates it from 8P1, contact then bein made by SEC through its follower with the contact 8802 (III). Of course the cam is so arranged that contact is made with 8802 (I I!) before contact is broken with contact 8808 (I ll) so that the circuit through the valve We is preserved and registration of the call maintained. Further movement of the cam It breaks contact with 8803 thereby isolating the contact 8802 to permit the energizing of coil ABM.

When the cam was positioned at the fourth floor, finger em, as pointed out. was isolated by the cam 04 from SIM and movement of the cam to the next floor released finger SP8 to bring it into contact with SP4 which latter was then isolated from BF. When the cam I4 is brought into (Pig. 4) .(which is closed since coil BHR is energized, as described in reference to Fig. l) and the coil 8M. The coil 8!! is arranged to make contact BM! before contact SM! is opened so that it completes its own holding circuit through 8m and contact GOLI 'of the car door limit switch, which latter is a mechanically operated switch. Energizing coil BM breaks contact BMI to open the circuit through coil ABM thereby interrupting the circuit through valve W8 and so cancellingfthe call.

Thus energizing coil all will open the normally closed contact 810 (Fig. 3) and when contact PER! is opened by the car reaching the sixth floor, the circuit through coil UM is thereby opened, which in turn opens contact Um to break the circuit through ML thereby bringing the car to a stop. At this point I desire to point out that the light sensitive means not only actuates the sequential operation of the selector but in addition serves in combination with the stop magnet to stop the car.

In addition, energizing BM closes the normally open contact BM so that a circuit is completed through the contact GOLI on the door opening limit switch, 3M4, the door opening switch coil- G0 (which causes operation of the door opening mechanism), and the normally closed contacts 40 GCI on the door switch, UM, and DMI.

The doors open until contact GOLI, which is a mechanically operated switch, are broken when the door reaches its fully opened position to break the circuit through and de-energize coils GO and SM. Energizing the coil GO closed the normally open contact G02 which completes a circuit through and energizes the time relay TR, which holds the doors open for a selected time by openingnormally closed contact TRI.

The door is returned to normally closed position byenergizing coil GC (Fig. 3), which operates the door closing mechanism. when the doors are opened as previously described, contacts DCI are broken which de-energlzcs the door pilot coil GP to close the normally closed contacts GPI. When TRI is closed by .the lapse of the selected time, a circuit is completed through GP! the door closing switch coil QC, GOI and TRi so that the doors then close.

Upon the door moving to closed and locked position the contacts DCI made by the retiring cam complete a circuit through the door pilot coil GP and open'contact GP! and so de-energize the door closing switch coil GC and stop operation of the door closing mechanism. The system is thus returned to condition to again operate in response to a registered call.

I need not repeat the operation of my elevator system in response to a call to a higher or lower floor, it being only necessary to call attention to the fact that the contact SSCI is electrically connected to the contact 8803 and serves the same p rpose as the latter when the motion f the cam It corr w nds to the down motion f, the car. 

